


Counselor Gus by AStephens

by AStephens1971



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-24
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 11:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/939513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AStephens1971/pseuds/AStephens1971





	1. Chapter 1

  


  
[Counselor Gus](http://archiveofourown.org/works/viewstory.php?sid=2547) by [AStephens](http://archiveofourown.org/works/viewuser.php?uid=424)  


  


  
Summary: 

Justin's depressed, but he finds help from a very unlikely source...

  
Categories: [QAF-U.S.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/browse.php?type=categories&id=99), [Brian/Justin](http://archiveofourown.org/works/browse.php?type=categories&id=68), [Hurt/Comfort](http://archiveofourown.org/works/browse.php?type=categories&id=37), [One-Off Fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/browse.php?type=categories&id=17) Characters: Brian, Gus, Justin, Lindsay  
Challenges: None  
Series: None  
Chapters: 2 Completed: Yes  
Word count: 1191 Read: 1933  
Published: November 07, 2012 Updated: April 29, 2013

  


Story Notes:

Post-513, with references to 511. Chapter 1 Brian POV; Epilogue Justin POV.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.

 

Counselor Gus by AStephens

  


Author's Notes:

Brian POV.

 

I was honestly at a loss for words. My Sunshine was in one of his moods again, and I was powerless to do anything. Sometimes he wouldn’t speak to me for days on end, and it really made me wonder if I ought to put aside my philosophy of “no apologies, no regrets.” I tried not to lash out at him so much, even if what had set me off was indeed his fault. But most of all, every night before we went to bed, I’d take him in my arms and whisper what I’d said our first day here:

 

“Sunshine, I’d give anything, do anything, be anything—if I knew that would make you happy.”

 

When I turned over and tried to get some sleep, I admit that some days, it was almost impossible to keep the tears from rolling down my face—and to stifle the sob that followed. How I wished he’d wake up with that Sunshine smile I knew and loved!

 

Then Gus came to spend a few weeks with us. I knew Justin loved him almost as much as I did, and I often encouraged them to spend some time together, in an effort to get to know each other better. But I could see that even he knew something was wrong with Justin.

 

They had taken some horses out onto the back lot, and I followed at what I hoped was a safe distance. They settled down just outside the pool gate, pulling out some fruit gummy snacks to share.

 

“Jus,” Gus said, coming in closer and laying his head in Justin’s lap, “why are you so sad?”

 

For the first time in a long time, I saw my beautiful Sunshine crack the slightest hint of a smile! “Oh, Gus,” he whispered, “it’s nothing you’ve done. It’s just that sometimes—I wish your daddy loved me.”

 

My heart sank when I heard that. Of course I loved him! Why—how could he even assume such a thing?

 

“I hear him tell you all the time,” my sweet son tried to reassure him.

 

“Yes, he does,” Justin admitted, “but you can show your love without words, too—every once in a while I just wish—I wish he’d swallow his foolish pride and—hold me, _cuddle_ me.”

 

Gus wrapped his arms around Justin’s body and squeezed him gently. “Like this?”

 

“Yeah,” Justin sighed. “Thank you, Gus—I needed that.”

 

“ _I_ love you, Jus,” Gus whispered.

 

“I love you, too, Gus,” Justin answered, giving him a big hug. “Come on—it’s getting late, and I’m sure your daddy must be worried sick about us.”

 

_More than you know, Sunshine_ , I thought, the tears rolling down my face, _more than you know_. As they headed back in one direction, I took the other path, so they wouldn’t become suspicious.

 

That night, when Justin and I finally crawled into bed, I glanced at him. His face still showed signs of the long depression he’d been enduring, and it broke my heart. Remembering what he’d confided to Gus, I took a deep breath and reached for my Sunshine.

 

A song came to me, and when I had him safely in my arms, I held him close and sang:

 

_“You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine._

 

_You make me happy when skies are gray._

 

_You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you._

 

_Please don’t take my Sunshine away.”_

 

I felt his body shake, and I knew—he was sobbing. “Shhh… I’m here, Sunshine,” I whispered, holding him closer than ever. “I love you,” I added, remembering our tender moment outside the bombed Babylon, “I love you so much.”

 

He lifted his head, and looked in my eyes. I smiled sadly, wanting so much to assure him of my undying love.

 

“Thank—you,” he managed to whisper, his voice choked with emotion. “I—I needed that.”

 

OK, so maybe cuddling wasn’t usually my style. But when I heard his voice for the first time in—I can’t even remember how long, my own eyes filled with tears, and I cried out in joy. If that’s what it took—to swallow my foolish pride and just _cuddle_ him—by golly, I’d do it, if that would bring him back to me!

 

What I whispered to my Sunshine came to mind, and I knew I meant it more than ever now…

 

_“… to prove to the person that I love how much I love him…_

 

_… that I would do anything,_

 

_give anything,_

 

_be anything…_

 

_… to make him happy.”_

 

Cuddling wouldn’t be a regular occurrence, of course, but I wanted my Sunshine to know he could always count on me to be there for him!

 

  


Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

This story archived at <http://www.midnightwhispers.ca/viewstory.php?sid=2547>  



	2. Counselor Gus by AStephens

  
[Counselor Gus](viewstory.php?sid=2547) by [AStephens](viewuser.php?uid=424)  


  
Summary: 

Justin's depressed, but he finds help from a very unlikely source...

  
Categories: [QAF-U.S.](browse.php?type=categories&id=99), [Brian/Justin](browse.php?type=categories&id=68), [Hurt/Comfort](browse.php?type=categories&id=37), [One-Off Fic](browse.php?type=categories&id=17) Characters:  Brian, Gus, Justin, Lindsay  
Challenges: None  
Series: None  
Chapters:  2 Completed: Yes   
Word count: 1191 Read: 1933  
Published: November 07, 2012 Updated: April 29, 2013 

Epilogue by AStephens

Author's Notes:

I realized I hadn't completed the story the way I wanted to, so here's the next part...from Justin's POV.

He was going home.

I knew Brian was sad to see him go, and frankly, so was I. I helped him pack his suitcase, making sure he left nothing behind, though frankly, if he had, we'd make sure it was waiting for him the next time he came.  
  
I still couldn't believe what he had done for me. For whatever reason, I'd been in a long depression, sad because because I thought Brian no longer loved me because of his "no cuddling" philosophy. Yet something about Gus allowed me to open up to him, to share my innermost feelings with that little boy I loved as a son myself.  
  
"Got everything?" I scanned the room one more time, even checking under the bed he'd used.  
  
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Ready to go?" Brian entered, a sad smile on his own face.Yet I knew that even he was so grateful for what Gus had done for me, allowing me to confide in him about what was bothering me.  
  
"Gus," he whispered, taking him into his arms, "Jus and I are so proud of you."  
  
Gus looked at us, wide-eyed. Could what he had done have so much impact?  
  
"You gave Jus back to me," Brian continued, his voice choked with emotion. "All I—all _we_ can say right now is— _thank you_."  
  
Leaning in, I stroked his hair and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes," I whispered myself, "thank you."  
  
"I just wanted Jus to be happy," Gus whispered, his voice choked with tears.  
  
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. When we turned to see who it was, Lindsay walked in. When she saw Gus, she smiled and set his suitcase upright. "Did you have fun?"  
  
As Gus enthusiastically nodded, Brian and I walked over. "Your son— _our_ son," Brian laughed, "brought Justin back to me."  
  
Lindsay cocked her head. "How so?"  
  
Between the two of us, Brian and I filled her in on my long depression—how Gus got me to open up.  
  
"Why, Gus," she exclaimed, scooping him up into her arms and giving him a big hug, "are you going to be a counselor when you grow up?"  
  
"I don't know," Gus replied shyly, burrowing himself into her arms.  
  
"Well, it was fun having him," I laughed, reaching over and giving him one last hug. Holding him in my arms, I couldn't help whispering in his ear:  
  
"Thanks again, son."

 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

This story archived at <http://www.midnightwhispers.ca/viewstory.php?sid=2547>  



End file.
